WINGS AGAINST HALOGETON

(Continued from page 11)

all on one sample plot and were undoubtedly young new plants that had germinated several days after the chemical had been applied.

Oil carrier treatment (Formula No. 3). Before-Total live halogeton-all stations-3 transects=1,351. After-Total live halogeton plants all stations-3 transects=476. The number of plants found following this treatment is somewhat deceiving. While this solution did not seem to give so satisfactory kill as the water-oil emulsion carrier, most of the 476 plants that were counted as being alive were badly injured and it was extremely doubtful as to whether they would produce seed. The complete kill by this formulation was estimated to be over 85 percent. Both formulations containing 2,4-D injured the invading rabbit and sage brush and killed some cactus plants that were in the area. These formulations had no effect on the crested wheat grass and native grass species.

Idaho. Readings were made in all the 10 sample plots and for some unexplainable reason the herbicide did not produce satisfactory kills in the initial treatment. The average kill for all sample plot areas amounted to only a little more than 50 percent. Due to the poor results in the initial aerial spraying in Idaho, a second treatment was applied by contract approximately three weeks later. In the second treatment diesel oil was added to the formulations and a very satisfactory kill of all the remaining halogeton plants was obtained. One possible explanation of the difference in effect between the treatment in Idaho compared to Nevada may be that it seemed to be impossible to obtain the uniform spray pattern in Idaho trials that was obtained in Nevada. There also is a possibility that some of the herbicide volatilized more quickly in Idaho due to higher temperatures.

The Nevada treatments cost $1,240, broken down as follows: 2,4-D-120 gallons, $315.60; diesel oil, $191.75; airplane (3 days), $33; pilot (3 days), $73.68; per diem for pilot (3 days), $24; vehicle operation, $157.89; labor, $352.08; per diem for labor, $93; a per-acre cost for 300 acres treated of $4.13.

Costs per acre for treating the comparatively small experimental areas would naturally run higher than if aerial spraying were done on a larger scale. Cost of moving equipment and in preparing for spraying operations would run about as high for 300 acres as if a larger acreage of several thousand acres were sprayed.

In analyzing the Idaho costs, charges for the Agricultural Research Service plane and operator were not available so that the average spraying per acre only amounted to $3. The second application which was done by contract amounted to $4 per acre for labor, materials, and equipment and $1.67 per acre for flying costs or a total of $5.67 for the entire operation.

The initial tests in Nevada and Idaho tend to indicate that chemical control of halogeton with presently recommended chemicals should be restricted to isolated spot infestations where complete kills, with resultant eradition, are feasible. In addition, it appears that it may be practical to treat other areas to prevent seed production and slow down the rate of halogeton spread.

Additional studies are needed to determine the best formulations and rate of aerial application.

Some tentative conclusions were reached. It appears that herbicides can be effectively applied to halogeton by aircraft.

Certain 2,4-D formulations were effective against halogeton under experiments in Nevada.

Aerial application of herbicides to halogeton may be feasible where large blocks of land are involved or along rights of way infestations that extend for considerable distances.

Aerial spraying may be the only feasible method of applying herbicides to halogeton in large isolated spot infestations that are too rough for ground rig applications.

It appears that aerial spraying will not give complete elimination of halogeton but may be the most practical method of applying one or more of the early season treatments to large isolated infestations where followup treatments can be made by ground rigs to kill all plants not completely killed by aerial treatment.

District Range Manager Delbert Fallon and Range Conservationist Dean Sacks of the Elko BLM office and Dick Holland of the Nevada State Office planned and conducted the trials in Nevada. In Idaho, Range Manager George R. Nettleton and Range Conservationist Harold Elg of the BLM office at Idaho Falls were in charge. O. P. DeJulio of the BLM Area 2 office and E. J. Palmer of the Washington office assisted.

In addition to the cooperation from the Agricultural Research Service, personnel from the University of Nevada and Idaho and the Nevada State Department of Agriculture helped with the trials. In Idaho the State Highway Department and the Atomic Energy Commission were extremely cooperative. In Idaho the highway was used for plane landing and takeoff and state highway officials were especially patient and cooperative in controlling and routing traffic.

The Agricultural Research Service furnished the pilot and airplane complete with spray equipment with the BLM supplying all necessary ground equipment, labor, and chemicals.

TRAIL OF THE TRANSIT (Continued from page 13)

End

clearly defined and preserved in salt for almost 3 decades. He merely followed them to the post markers.

A career spent in fighting nature appears to have toughened rather than weakened Mr. Nelson.

Now 68 years old, he is still a lean, 135-pound bundle of energy with only a hint of white in his black hair, his modest manner and deliberate speech typical of the outdoor type, his skin burnished by wind and rain into a tan as permanent as a tattoo.

He has no thought of retiring. There are still 10 million acres of unsurveyed land in Utah and it's a challenge. He'll undoubtedly tackle some more of it this year with a vigor that belies his age. As one of his young crewmen of last year remarked:

He sets a mighty fast pace. There aren't many who can keep up with him."

End

Homesteaders established their claims on the basis of half buried posts or chiseled rocks marking off the new territory in a grid of mile-square sections and 6-mile square townships, the corners of which were set by men who traveled ahead with a transit over one shoulder and a rifle over the other.

And Andrew Nelson's story brings back a flood of memories to this corner, for yours truly (Roy Hudson, Editor, magazine section, Salt Lake Tribune) spent two summers during his college days working on cadastral survey crews up in the wilds of Wyoming.

Well do we remember our first day on the job. One of a motley crew of college boys and men, gathered from various sections of the country, and in various types of dude or western attire, we scrambled up hills and down valleys on the heels of our engineer, Arthur Brown.

At the close of the day we were so bushed we could hardly stay awake for chow, tumbling into our blankets as soon as possible.

We toughened up in a hurry, but despite our youth and athletic pride, the first one up and ready to go after a break on the trail was the guy with the transit on his shoulder-the man who was putting his gridiron brand on the wilderness.

End